Today, after giving it his all for most of this week, my rat Conner finally let go. I'm a fucking mess, but I'm glad he died comfortably. He was bruxing (rat version of purring) till the very end.

I've been struggling with dealing with how short a life rats have to live, but I keep coming back to this page from Neil Gaiman's Sandman. This is probably one of my favorite pages in the entire series, and certainly one I take the most comfort in:

You lived what anybody gets, you got a lifetime. No more. No less. You got a lifetime.

We all get a lifetime, no matter how short or how long. It may not always be as long as we would like, but that doesn't change how much it matters, or how deeply it can affect all the lives that surround it.

I want to thank the GT community for being so supportive of me this week. Your kindness really means the world to me. Thank you everyone.